Pedigree Papers: A Guide for Dogs and Cats in Australia
If you're looking for a purebred puppy or kitten, you've probably heard the word "pedigree" used a lot. But what does it actually mean? And with more organisations now offering "pedigree papers," how do you know what you're really getting?
This page explains what a pedigree is and what it contains. For more detail, see our full guides for dogs and cats.
- A pedigree is an official document drawn from a national stud book — not just a family tree on paper.
- A pedigree records that the dog or cat comes from a documented breed background — meaning temperament, size, and appearance are generally more predictable than with an undocumented animal.
- Dogs Australia pedigrees are recognised internationally through the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), with reciprocal recognition arrangements with the Kennel Club in the UK and the American Kennel Club.
- Cat pedigrees from ACF and CCCA-affiliated councils are recognised internationally through the World Cat Congress, and ANCATS is affiliated with the World Cat Federation.
Pedigree dogs in Australia
Dogs Australia, established in 1958 as the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC), is Australia's pedigree dog registry. It's a member of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), with reciprocal recognition arrangements with the Kennel Club in the UK and the American Kennel Club.
Dogs Australia issues two types of pedigree paper: Main Register (blue) and Limited Register (orange). Limited Register dogs can compete in every Dogs Australia activity and dog sport except conformation showing. Dogs Australia also runs an Associate Register, which lets non-pedigree dogs participate in performance events when desexed.
Read the full guide to dog pedigree papers
Pedigree cats in Australia
Australia has three national cat fancy bodies: the Australian Cat Federation (ACF), formed in 1972; the Co-Ordinating Cat Council of Australia (CCCA), founded in 1980; and Australian National Cats Inc. (ANCATS), established in 1997. The ACF and CCCA operate through state and territory member bodies. ANCATS operates as a single national registry. Pedigrees from ACF and CCCA are recognised through the World Cat Congress, and ANCATS is affiliated with the World Cat Federation.
Read the full guide to cat pedigree papers
Newer organisations and businesses
Newer organisations and businesses also issue documents called pedigree papers, sometimes for crossbreeds and mixed breeds. These operate outside the international networks used by Dogs Australia and the cat fancy councils. The dog and cat guides explain how each system works in practice.
If pedigree papers don't look right — missing details, inconsistent registration numbers, a body you can't find online, or anything else that's not adding up — we can take a look for you. We have breeders with decades of experience reading pedigrees who can review the document.
Email a clear photo or scan to Perfect Pets Pedigree Check along with the breeder's name, contact details and the registering body shown on the document and we'll assess from there.
Frequently asked questions
What is a pedigree?
A pedigree is an official document that records an animal's ancestry going back several generations. It's drawn from a national stud book — an independently maintained database of pedigree animals — and shows that the dog or cat comes from a recorded lineage of registered pedigrees.
What is a registered prefix?
A registered prefix is a breeder's unique kennel or cattery name, registered with their canine or cat council. Every puppy or kitten a breeder produces is registered under that prefix. To obtain one, a breeder must satisfy their council's requirements and maintain financial membership of their state body or cat council. It's one of the clearest markers of an established registered breeder.
How can I check if a breeder is properly registered?
Ask which state body the breeder is a financial member of (Dogs NSW, Dogs Victoria, Dogs Queensland, Dogs SA, Dogs West, TasDogs, Dogs ACT, Dogs NT — for dogs) or which cat council they belong to and whether it's affiliated with ACF, CCCA, or ANCATS. For a guide to state government breeder registers, see our breeder verification checklist.
Knowing what's on a pedigree document and which body issued it helps families make informed decisions when getting a puppy or kitten.
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At Perfect Pets, we have always required that our dog breeder members are registered with Dogs Australia-affiliated state bodies, and our cat breeder members are members of ANCATS, or an ACF or CCCA-affiliated body. This has been our standard since we launched in 2013, and it hasn't changed.
Learn more about how to find a responsible breeder and how we verify every breeder before they're listed.